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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. snap — to click
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com